


Awaiting Dawn

by BeeHeart



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergent, Dream Smp, Gen, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Hybrid Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Hybrid TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), No Romance, No shipping, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Piglin Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Platonic Relationships, phil watson becomes a good father, slow burn maybe?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-18 15:35:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28869393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeeHeart/pseuds/BeeHeart
Summary: Philza attempts to be a better parent after some much needed reflection.If they couldn’t be there for Wilbur in time, maybe they could do better with tommy.---------Yes this is completely self indulgent and yes this is my first time post/writing.Canon divergent, Philza comes to tommy’s aid as soon as they show up at Techno's. Techno doesn't get almost executed until after they finds tommy.Techno is Phil's bff pretty much, not their child. Tommy and Wilbur saw them as an auncle despite no blood relation. Tommy and Wilbur are blood related and also have wings. Techno is also a piglin brute.Dude I just want good family shit and also, I apologize if this seems rushed and bad, it is LOL.Also I forgot to mention that i'll probably update this but for now its just a oneshot.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 137





	1. Uneven Pace

It had been shocking to hear the news from Tubbo. Sure, they hadn’t really thought about Tommy often after moving into L’manburg, but they knew they were around and safe. Always within a short distance of Phil’s house usually with Tubbo or someone else. But now they were far away, and they had no idea where they could be. It was an uncomfortable feeling. Almost like dread but just a few paces off. It sunk into their heart when they heard the news, and they wondered if Tubbo felt the same.

Information beyond their sudden departure was few and far between. They knew their youngest child was alive, and what was about it. No one could tell them anything else; Not Tubbo, not Fundy, not Quackity, no one. It didn’t help them relax, but they pushed away their feelings for the time being. It was almost easy to forget they were gone on some days. Usually when they visited Techno their worries vanished in favor of enjoying time with an old friend. It felt natural to not hear Tommy around Techno, so not much felt off.

But then they would arrive back home and it would be silent. Almost somber. Without Tommy it was so much more quiet. Everyone seemed to be just a bit more reserved without them around to poke and prod them or say something outrageous and silly. Tubbo especially seemed much more on edge than before. Always looking around, listening and waiting. It was possibly worse than the first feeling they had when Tommy left. Another gawking feeling befell them as more time went on. 

It had been about 5 months since Tommy’s exile when they received the letter from Techno. It took them two minutes to write a note to stick to their door before they bolted out into the night. Their wings flared behind them and with a great show of force they were off into the starry sky. Tommy was alive but incredibly off the letter had said. They wouldn’t look Techno in their eyes, they would recoil after snapping back at them, and they had shucked off their armour almost as soon as Techno had found them, apologizing over and over again. 

It was not the Tommy Philza had raised and cared for. It was not the Tommy Techno had watched grow up and mature (surprisingly) by Phil’s side. Phil’s charcoal wings blended in with the sky as they rushed over to the end portal and traversed their way over to Technos. It was practically muscle memory at this point, and the only thoughts plaguing them where about their living child. The crisp air of tundra bit into their skin as they left Technos portal. They didn’t hesitate though and was once more off, racing through the sky despite the cold.

It took them an hour, almost record time, before they landed at the door of their old friend. Knocking didn’t matter, nor did it cross their mind as they hastily entered Technos home. The Piglin looked up at them from their book before shushing them quickly. The house was silent, warm, and welcoming as Phil quietly closed the door and walked over to them. 

“Where is they?” Phil asked, managing to swallow the lump that had been building in their throat on their way to the couch.

“Asleep in the guest room. I just managed to convince them to lay down, so don't bother them.” Came a gruff answer. 

So Phil complied and slumped down into the couch. They steadied their breathing with their eyes closed and focused on the sound of technos breathing and the crackle of the fire across from them. They could wait a few hours. So long as they were there when Tommy woke up. Whenever they woke up. Eventually they cracked their eyes open and glanced over at Techno who still seemed to be reading in peace. Silent moments like this between them were rare, nor were they few or far between, but it was never during something like this.

“Do you know where they were?” Their voice softly broke the silence. They watched the book be marked and closed as Techno deemed the conversation worth their full attention. Only for Phil.

“No. They were hiding under the floor of my basement in a little room. They had the worst bed and a stupid bell, and thats how I found them.” They huffed. 

“Has they told you why? Shouldn’t they be in exile?” Phil pressed. They had to know if Tommy had been sent here, or was actually hiding from their exile. They didnt know which they wanted it to be.

“No they hasn’t. They s to speak to me or even touch them. Everytime I try they practically throws themselves against the wall to avoid it. You’ll have to deal with all their cuts and stuff tomorrow ‘cause of that.” They informed in their usual monotone. It was almost grounding to hear them talk like they alway did with this air of nonchalant disposition. It put their heart at ease if only for a moment. 

The more pressing matter that sunk into their head after a few beats was how bad Tommy’s wounds here. They had no idea what shelter Tommy had, or how much access to first aid, so the possibilities seemed endless. Techno noticed them walling up in their own head however, and snapped them out by speaking once more.

“It’s mostly from mobs and probably cuts from falling and mining stone with no armor. They won't die in their sleep.” Phil left out a breath they didn't know they were holding at that. They would be okay. They would be okay. Phil would be there for them like a parent should be and it would all be okay. 

They sat in silence for a few more hours, occasionally speaking to talk about things far more light-hearted than the state Tommy was in. The moon was lower in the sky than it had been when they had arrived and soon it would be another sunny day. The calm atmosphere of the night was shattered as Techno tensed slightly, their ears twitching as they paused. They stood up suddenly but silently as Phil strained their ears to hear what Techno did. 

Suddenly they caught it, just for a moment. A soft sob shook the air as they too stood up and moved towards the sound. Techno followed behind them slowly, giving them space and their legs led them to the guest room without fail. Carefully they creaked open the door and gazed into the dark room. With their head poking through the threshold now it was much easier to hear weak sobs of Tommy as they curled up tighter on themselves. 

They didn’t even think of stopping themselves as they quietly entered the room fully and sat down on the edge of Tommy’s bed. They brushed a hand gently through their hair and called out to them, hoping to wake them up from whatever horrible nightmare they were having and soothe them to a better dream. The reaction they got upon shaking Tommy awake was not at all what they had anticipated however. 

Tommy’s eye crack opened as their breathing sped up out of its sleeping state, only for their eyes to widen abruptly as they saw Phil’s green sleeve. They tore themselves away from the hand in their hair and smashed their eyes shut, a flurry of slurry and snotty apologies spilling out of their mouth like a torrent waterfall. A mix of “I'm sorry” “I didn't mean to wake you up” and a familiar named left Tommy as they curled up on themselves more, this time just while sitting up.

“Tommy…” Phil started, measured despite the anger and sadness bubbling up in their chest. “I’m not Dream. Please, look at me.” They softly urged.

They didn't touch Tommy in fear of their reacting even worse and patiently waited for their child to meet their gaze. It eventually happened even though tears still streamed from Tommy’s tired eyes. They seemed to actually take in the room around them and more importantly the person in front of them. They were offered a warm smile and kind eyes in place of the cold blank stare of a white mask.

“See? It's just me. You’re safe, I promise.” They reassured, slowly moving their hand to rest on Tommy’s shoulder while offering them enough time to push it away or react. They tensed at first before slowly relaxing and melting into the warm comfort. It took so much restraint for Phil to not pull Tommy into a hug as they instead grounded them by rubbing circles into their shoulder. They watched as Tommy’s breathing slowly became even and less frantic, and their eyes even more tired and droopy. 

“Dad…?” They weakly called out, still not opening their eyes as they floated on the edge of sleep.

“Yup, I’m here mate.” Phil softly cooed and ruffled their feathers. 

“Please don’t leave me again.” Tommy softly slurred out, leaning forward slightly as they finally fell gently to sleep. Phil had barely made out their plea at first with how quiet they had been. The realization tore into their heart like ice cold claws though as they stared at Tommy's chest slowly rising and falling. Their child… Their young person looked so defeated in the pale light of the moon. Tears welled up in their eyes this time. 

They may have failed to be there for Wilbur, but they would be there this time for Tommy. No matter what it takes.


	2. Looking Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Techno has time to himself after a hectic day and is plaqued with his past actions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wrote this on a whim cause I wanted to write more after the first chapter so here's a second from mostly Techno's POV. 
> 
> Still not beta'd, hope its good.

Techno watched from a distance, his frame filling the door. It wasn’t his place to step in even if Tommy was asleep. His hands twitched as he crossed his arms while in deep thought. Sure, as a child Tommy’s emotions were volatile and strong, but he was not a child anymore. In the past he’d cry if he got too frustrated, cry if he couldn’t do what he had planned to, it was pretty easy to just set him off when he was little. As he grew older though he seemed to stop. Before he left with Wilbur to traverse the land and find a place of their own it had been years since he had seen tears fall from Tommy’s eyes. A war or two would also do that to you.

It probably hurt Phil more than it did him as him crying less signified the rift between Phil and his sons. The less he cried, the less he sought out Phil for comfort or otherwise. He’d take his problems to Wilbur instead, spending more and more time with his brother despite Wilburs act of not liking him. He loved his brother and would have given him the world up until the end. Neither Wilbur or Phil were perfect, but they both loved Tommy. 

Phil had let the rift grow without realizing it. After the death of Wilbur he had confessed to Techno that more than anything else in the world he felt guilt and regret. Maybe if he had been there, maybe if he had held him more, maybe if he had stopped him from leaving Wilbur would still be with him. It was more haunting than the actual ghost of his son, and for weeks it plagued every part of his brain. It was Tommy’s exile that slowly snapped him out of his own head on the matter oddly enough. He talked about it less with Techno, instead seeming to ease back into his old self.

Techno wouldn’t have called it a bad thing, but he wondered how Phil felt now. While Tommy was off doing god knows what with barely any word on his state from Ghostbur Phil was going to villages with Techno. Or enjoying tea with him. Or just being happy without worry. Did he feel like it was his fault again? Tommy seemed to be in pieces now. Fragments of himself still remaining in a poorly cobbled together form that just vaguely resemble himself. More than anything he was clearly barely hanging together when Techno found him.

It was still uncanny the way Tommy reacted to him. Sure he had done things that deserved Tommys ire, he realized that now, but never had he seen the both react to him so negatively. Perhaps some of the damage marking him was also his fault. Last time they saw each other he had torn apart him home with withers, damaging the already broken land. Maybe… maybe this was the same thing. He beat down L’manburg after it was blown up, already in shambles. And he looked Tommy in his eyes, declaring that he should die like a hero. 

An unknown feeling gripped his heart, thinking between then and now. Tommy back then had fought tooth and nail. He raised hell against him alongside others, fire burning in his heart and soul. Techno, despite their differences, considered him a great opponent. A worthy one. He wondered how Phil felt, looking out while still clutching his son to his chest, watching as his other fought for his life, for the life of his friends and country. 

Tubbo and Tommy were at the front lines of it all. Usually he would feel no discomfort with the idea of fighting kids, especially when he knew they were both more than capable of defending themselves. Now it felt different though. Neither had listened to him, and Tommy had been exiled just like Thesus. Tubbo had risen to a position of power and tossed away his friend, his brother, at the first sign of a threat. 

After so much blood shed even before Techno, he had figured the whole thing would knock some sense into at least the adult and older people around the two but no, nothing of the sort had happened. He couldn’t pin the feeling he had. He was upset, sure. But more than anything disappointed. Both in the pair, but more so in those around them. 

He shook his head. Right now it didn’t matter. He could blow up the whole place again when he got the chance, but right now he had to focus on making sure Phil and Tommy could eat when they got up. It could be assumed that Phil had eaten before the night, but Tommy? With Tommy he had no idea. Considering how frail and sick the kid looked holed up under his basement, he figured it had been awhile since he had eaten anything of substance. 

On the one time he did manage to touch him before he knocked his head on the wall trying to get away from the touch he felt how cold he was. He looked and felt like shit to put it bluntly. He chopped up potatoes for hash as he continued to muse about his current state. His hair had grown a fair bit longer from the last time he had seen his, but that didn't mean said hair looked healthy. It was ratty, and he could practically see the knots locked into his head. His face had cuts and a burn he knows he didn't give him. His shirt might as well has just been a burlap shack at this point with how torn and dirty it was.

The best thing he had on him was Wilburs old coat. The tear through the back and blood stain had been covered by the fabric of a cut up L’manburg flag. It wouldn’t keep him warm out in the tundra, but it was better than nothing. He was missing a shoe, and his armour on that foot bit into his ankle without the help of extra fabric to protect his skin. The only thing that would have made him look healthy where the freckles that covered his face and arms. Techno stored that information away for now as a sign of where he could have been. 

Potatoes were shucked into a cool bath with salt to keep them from browning before the others woke up, and with a tad bit more hesitation than he would like to admit, he left the warmth of his home to retrieve eggs. The Sun lazily sat halfway below the horizon, bathing the snow a soft peachy color as mobs slowly began to make way for cover before the sun burnt them to a crisp. It was calming to stand out in the snow and focus on not thinking. The entire time he had been trying to cut up potatoes the voices had not been happy. Nor were they pleased with his train of thoughts. It wasn’t enough to give him a headache, but he needed a break from the loud cacophony of divided voices.

He could hand the coos and awes and repetition of ‘chicken’ much more easily. 8 eggs were taken from the nested hens, most just clucking at him momentarily as he grabbed under them carefully. Extra feed was added to their coop for their own breakfast. Pleased with the amount he turned and left, making sure they would be safe and warm in there one last time before heading inside once more.

Upon opening the door to his cabin he heard Phil softly talking to Tommy as they sat on the couch together. Just in time. He ignored them for now, knowing Phil knew where everything in his home was and wouldn't need help if he needed to get anything from one of his chests. Instead he focused his mind and body into making breakfast for the small group. 

They just had to make it through breakfast and then the hard things could start. Should be easy enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyway I'm already working on a third chapter from Tommy's POV but no promises as to when it will be posted by dudes. Thanks for the kudos for the first one by the way!


	3. Cold Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Within the house before Techno returns, Tommy and Phil wake up, and breakfast is had (or at least made).

A few hours earlier, Their day had started with Tommy waking up before Phil, though not because of a nightmare this time. His routine during exile required him to get up early to avoid upsetting Dream for the day. If he was asleep when Dream showed up he’d take away his food and armour for the day instead of just the latter. If he didn’t have armour when he woke up he’d have to scrap something together with whatever little iron he had left over from the previous mining try and then simply had to wait for the older man to show up.

He wasn’t in exile anymore, he knew that much just from how warm he felt before even cracking open his eyes. Faintly he remembered building a home under Techno’s house and being discovered. More distantly he remembered his father lulling him to sleep after crying, causing Tommy to clutch the fabric of his pants until his knuckles turned white. He didn’t want to turn around and figure out if it was actually something that happened or just a dream. Eventually he would have to, but for now he wanted to just sit on the warm edge of the bed. 

Lost in his thoughts, he still managed to feel the bed shift as a yawn sounded through the air. Phil stretched, arms above his head and wings bumping into the wall slightly as his back shifted. Tommy watched, thinly veiled surprise in his eyes for a minute before he went back to thinking. His father sat up and stared at Tommy with an even more surprised look. Perhaps he had forgotten how things were but to his knowledge Tommy would sleep in past noon if given the chance. The older man gazed out the window, seeing the sun lounging on the horizon.

Slowly Phil scouted to the edge of the bed inorder to sit next to Tommy, and wrapped a wing around him protectively. In the faint light that seeped into the room Phil noted how much worse Tommy looked. His once bright and flushed skin looked pale and cold. Bags stood out more than his dull blue eyes. The skin on his body practically hugged against his bones in a few places. His hair was dirty and matted just like his clothing and was far more shaggy then it had been the last time he saw Tommy. 

His heart ached for his youngest son, looking at him like he was a kicked puppy almost. It was so odd to hear Tommy just sit in silence and not even look at Phil. Something had happened to him, and all he could do was wait until he felt comfortable enough to open up on his own terms, on his own time. Tommy himself was lost in thought, straining his ears to listen to the surrounding world for any sign of someone else.

If his body wasn't in so much pain he would have assumed he was asleep, and that any moment he would wake up and be back in his tent, or worse, in the water, drowning alone in the bay. His lungs still ached from the multiple times that happened in the morning, and it was a miracle he hadn’t gotten sick after the first few mornings it happened. 

For now he was warm and with his father in Techno’s home. He tensed slightly, remembering that he had technically broken into Techno’s house and robbed him while running solely off adrenaline and the need to not die. He knew that he was not on good terms with the Piglin, and by extension his father because of that. Sitting next to Phil became uncomfortable as he stewed away in his own thoughts.

Phil provided a warmth Tommy missed, both in his heart and on his skin. But he pulled away, shuffling away from the older man without a word like he had been burned. He couldn’t meet Phil’s gaze, knowing he’d have that sad disappointed look he had when Wilbur or him had gotten into trouble and got hurt as a result. 

He repeated to himself in his head that Phil didn’t really care about him, and hadn’t since he left him in the care of Wilbur in favor of traveling either by himself or with Techno. He wasn’t deserving of the title of ‘Father’ after abandoning his sons and letting them go out and fight wars. He wasn’t deserving of it after letting Tommy be killed, and exiled twice before entering his life, only to kill his brother in front of everyone like some old dog. He wasn’t deserving of it after refusing to show up to be there for Tommy when he needed him most time and time again. 

Tommy was more aware then people gave him credit for, and he knew he wasn’t the favorite child. He knew that if it had been himself in the room instead of Wilbur his father would have just cut him down before he had the chance to press the button. He would kill Tommy before letting him hurt Wilbur and his family. An unbearable cold sept into his heart, taking hold like it had for months like clock work. His own father didn’t even love him, and he had left the one man who had. 

A terrible part of him insisted that Dream was right. If his own father didn’t care for him, who would besides the masked man? He couldn’t go back now though. He couldn’t return to Dream after running away. He would never be forgiven, and he probably wouldn’t even be able to make it through the snow and ice alive. 

His train of thoughts was derailed as Phil stood up and offered a hand to Tommy. 

“Let's head out into the living room. It’ll be warmer in front of the fire.” He coaxed, trying to get him up. 

His hand was ignored as Tommy pushed himself up and began to move towards the door. He was limping, but not unable to move. Phil followed closely behind him just in case though. Luckily he remembered the basic layout of the first floor of Techno’s home, and made himself as comfortable as he could on the couch of his enemy. 

The two sat together in relative peace, with Phil trying to talk to him occasionally about whatever came to his mind. He didn’t really hold any rhyme or reason to the topics he brought up, other than all of them being relatively light hearted and positive. He was aware Tommy wasn’t really paying attention, he knew just by how he absently stared at the fire in front of him, rarely blinking. They stayed in this configuration until Techno came in, and even then only moved when the Piglin called them into the kitchen. 

Tommy hesitated this time, not too keen on moving into a small room with Techno in it. Phil urged him in though, assuming the younger was just hurting a little and needed help moving safely. Phil pulled a seat out for Tommy at the end of the table, and took one himself to sit next to him and Yechno, right in the middle. The others stared each other down without a word, though Techno did look away to finish serving food for them all. 

His wings were tucked up behind his back tightly like he was ready to race out of the room at any given moment in time. Techno pushed the eggs and hash in front of Tommy lastly, and sat down once everyone had received their portion. They ate in awkward silence, or at least everyone but Tommy. He stared at his plate, thinking. Was he allowed to eat? He hadn’t been told to yet, though it had been offered. He didn’t want it to be taken away though, it had been so, so long since he had had anything but bread and carrots. 

Phil gazed over at Tommy and reached out, attempting to give him a reassuring pat on his shoulder to get him to relax. Phil tensed as he made another mistake it seemed, as Tommy harshly pushed away from the table, snatching the plate with him as his wings flared out behind him to try and seem more big and scary. It would have been funny if not for the circumstances, and the fact Tommy had to watch the color drain from Phil’s face in a way he’s never seen before. 

They all stood frozen, Tommy still breathing fast in a panic as he clutched the plate close to him. Techno even looked shocked for a moment before his expression became dark and unreadable. This didn’t help Tommy’s case at all, looking around frantically for a way out of the small kitchen without instantly getting grabbed. Had he really fucked up that bad already? At least with Dream he would already know if he made him mad by now. The suspense hurt him more than the punishment that would surely follow from his outburst. 

“Tommy… What happened to your wings?” Phil asked, finally breaking the tense silence like a warm knife through butter. 

Suddenly far more self conscious that Tommy would ever admit, still holding onto some semblance of pride, he pulled his wings as tightly to his back as possible. Even without the sight of the messily clipped feathers directly observable the mood remained the same. Tommy’s heart pounded in his chest, feeling dread consume him at his mistake. He didn’t want to get in trouble, and he knew he was always told to take care of his wings, and remembered vividly how upset Phil had gotten when Wilbur had broken him as a child. 

He waited for the same crushing disappointment as he stood trapped in the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tried to make this one a little longer than the ones in the past. I did try to reread this one to check for any typos but I do apologies if there are any still.

**Author's Note:**

> Perhaps I will write more if I get the time and energy but for now I hope this is at least decent. Not beta read or anything so I apologize if things read bad or there are errors. Pog through the pain young people.


End file.
